String clasp



1H. R. BENSCH STRING CLASP Filed July 24 WITNFSS:

Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

HERMAN R. BENSCH, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

STRING CLASP.

Application filed July 24, 1925. `Serial No. 45,888.

Y 10 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN R. Brunson, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in String Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

The object is the provision of a simple and cheaply constructed means for clamping the ends of shoe laces in folded position on the upper end of the tongue and between the sides of the upper of a shoe.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention ,consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimedv In the drawings Figure l is an elevation illustrating the application of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improvement.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modification.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view therethrough.

The improvement is adapted to be secured on the outer face at the upper portion of the tongue l of a laced shoe 2. The improvement comprises a body plate 3, which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is slitted longitudinally at points equidistant from the edges thereof. The portions of the plate outwardly with respect to the slits, are bent to provide angle fingers 4. The bendable fingers 4 are designed to be passed through the tongue l as disclosed in .Figures l and 2 of the drawings. By this arrangement it will be noted that the plate can be easily and quickly attached to the tongue.

The ends of the plate, between the fingers 4, are rounded upon themselves to provide upper and lower eyes 5 and 6, respectively. The upper eye affords a bearing for the inwardly directed ends of a bail-like clamping lever 7.

Between the eyes 5 and 6 the plate 3 is centrally bulged outwardly to form the same with a longitudinally extending rib 8, and this rib is received between the arms of the lever 7. The eye 6 receives therein the inwardly directed ends of a substantially U- shaped hook 9. The outer end of the substantially U or bail-shaped clamping lever 7 is rounded outwardly to form the same with a lip l0, and the arms provided by the said lever are bent at inward angles to the inwardly directed ends thereof that are received in the eye 5. A shoe lace 11 is laced on the shoe 2 in the usual manner and the ends vthereof are folded laterally, as illustrated in Figures l and 2 of the drawings. The clamping lever 7 is then swung over the folded ends of the lace, bulgingl the lace between the rib 8 and the arms of the clamping lever. The hook 9 is then swung over the lipped end 10 of the lever 7, holding the folded ends of the lace tightly engaged between the arms of the lever and the rib 8 of the plate 3.

From experience I have found that an inward pressure on the arms of the clamping lever will force the said lever inwardly toward the plate 3 a suliicient distance to permit of the hook 9 gravitating olf of the lipped end 10 of the said lever, thereby quickly releasing the clamped ends of the shoe laces. Also when the said ends of the shoe laces are arranged over the rib a like pressure upon the said arms of the lever will permit of the operator easily swinging he hook to engage with the lip of the said ever.

In Figures 5 and 6 the construction is slightly modified. The blank which provides the body plate 3 is notched at its op posite ends and the said plate is then centrally bent to provide the same with an out wardly extending rib 8 which is disposed a considerable distance away from the ends of the plate. The ends are rounded to provide upper and lower eyes 5 and 6', respectively, the upper eye receiving therein a clamping lever 7', similar to the lever 7, while the eye 6 receives therein the ends of a U-shaped hook 9.

Having described the invention, I claim l. A clamping device for the folded ends of shoe laces, designed to be secured on the outer face, adjacent to the upper end vof the tongue of a shoe, said device comprising a body plate having bendable fingers at all of the corners thereof which are designed to be inserted through the tongue of the shoe,

said plate, between the fingers, having its ends provided with upper and lower eyes, respectively, a bail-like clamping member having its ends journaled in the upper eye of the plate, and said' lever having its lower end outturned to form a lip, a substantially U-shaped hook having its ends hingedly secured in thejlower eye and swngalole over Ythe lipped end of the lever and the plate between the arms ofthe lever being bulged outwardly to provide a rib.

2. Means 'for clamping the folded ends of a shoe lace on the tongue ofthe lshoe to which t-lie string is applied, comprising a plate cent1- ally land integrallyy formed with an :elongated rib whose outer edge is rounded, .said plate having` both of its ends rounded inwardly to provide eyes, a rbail-like clamping lever having its ends directed toward each other and received in the upper eye, said lever from its said ends having its arms extended in an outward and downward angle and 'roni thence continued in parallelism and terminating' in an outwardly directed U-shaped lip and a substantially U-shaped hook pivotally secured in the lower eye and swingable over the lipped end ot' the lever.

ln testimony whereof I a'llix my signature. HER-MAN R. BENSCH. 

